


Eat Your Heart Out

by amayakumiko



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Cannibalism, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders Being Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Gen, Guns, Spiders, Threats of Violence, sexual innuendo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:29:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29199135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amayakumiko/pseuds/amayakumiko
Summary: Patton doesn't think that everyone in the mindscape knows that he's there for them.  Good feelings, bad feelings, he's there to help them eat it out.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil & Dark Creativity | Remus & Deceit | Janus & Morality | Patton (Sanders Sides)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 15
Collections: TSS Fanworks Collective, TSS Fanworks Collective Discord: January Remix Challenge!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [candycorns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/candycorns/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A Taste of Friendship](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28096740) by [candycorns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/candycorns/pseuds/candycorns). 
  * In response to a prompt by [candycorns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/candycorns/pseuds/candycorns) in the [tss_fanworks_collective_discord_january_remix_challenge](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/tss_fanworks_collective_discord_january_remix_challenge) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> My works can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/users/candycorns/works
> 
> Anything can be remixed, including individual chapters of fics because most of them are standalone. Feel free to change any pairings or add new ones. Just nothing explicit, please
> 
> I very much reccomend that you read "A Taste of Friendship" first. This is very much a contiuation of that story, and I'm not sure it will make the most sense without it.
> 
> Thanks to [robinasnyder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinasnyder/pseuds/robinasnyder) for the editing help!
> 
> If you think Cannibalism is the truest for of love, join me and the other Joans at the [TSS Fanworks Collective](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRKotHHDELY_0vGIkf_H34v0TJafP3C2TqEjlmO1sl8LXPDA/viewform) Discord.

It was just a walk, Patton reminded himself. Just a walk down a dusty hallway with walls that were oozing something he didn't want to touch, even in his nightmares. That was all. Just a walk to Remus’ room. He hesitated in front of the door at the end of the hallway. He steeled himself, adjusted his catigan, and knocked twice. He didn't let himself in, unsure if he was wanted.

“DeeDee, you never have to-'' Remus sing-songed as he opened the door, cutting himself off when he registered blue instead of yellow. A smile curled across his face, growing too wide to look comfortable.

“ Daddy! What brings you to the _dirty_ side of the Mind Palace?” he asked, adding a little shimmy to the word “dirty”. 

Patton grimaced, then tightened his catigan around his shoulders again. He put on a bright and shiny smile, beaming at Remus. “I just wanted to talk; I have a question to ask you!”

Remus grabbed Patton by the arm and pulled, yanking him into the room. He slammed the door behind them, and pressed a revolver into Patton’s hand. In a heartbeat he was 10 paces away, back pressed against the wall.

“SHOOT!” Remus yelled.

Patton yelled inarticulately and dropped the revolver, jumping backwards and away from it. He placed a hand on his heart and he shook his head. “This… I'm sorry Ki- Remus, this was a bad idea.” Turning, he went to grab the door knob and then recoiled. The door handle itself was fuzzy, and as he watched in wide-eyed horror, it unfolded and stretched eight gigantic tarantula legs. 

The scream caught in his throat and he backed up, a hand pressed tight over his mouth. Trash on the floor caused him to trip and fall but he still crawled backwards, legs flailing as he attempted to put as much space between him and the steadily growing spider-handled door. 

Remus’ wild grin fell, and he dropped his arms. 

“Uh, Daddy, chill out. It's just a figure of speech!”

He bent over and picked up the gun, holding it a few feet away from his head, but pointed at his temple, and pulled the trigger. A large flag on a stick unfurled with a large BANG in comic sans unfurled from the barrel. 

“See! Slapstick! Harmless! Just for you, Daddy.”

Patton tore his eyes away from the spider, and seemed to calm down a little. The gun was so realistic in his own hands, and looked like a cheap plastic toy in Remus’s. Flaw or Feature, it didn't really matter. The gun wasn't real, and Remus was fine.

He cleared his throat, and gave Remus a sheepish look. 

“Sorry there, Reem. Must have been a trick of the light, or something.” he started to get off the floor, coughing and clearing his throat. He frowned and rubbed it, the tickle getting a little more insistent.

“The door handle there,” he chuckled, embarrassed.

“Looked a little too realistic for me. Gave this old Pop a scare.”

He chuckled, but it turned into a cough. He bent over with the force of it, coughing into his hand. He felt something hit it, and on reflex he pulled his hand out to see what it was.

Remus’ grin came back in full, his teeth turning sharp and glinting in the light.

In the middle of Patton’s hand was a little spider.

He opened his mouth wide and screamed, but it just made it worse. He could feel little legs crawling out of his throat, into his mouth and then out onto his face. Hundreds of them, all in his lungs, all of them trying to get free from the only way possible. Not _the_ only, they could get out through his chest too, if they wanted, if they tried.

He pawed at his chest, feeling them pushing against his skin, his ribs, trying to get them off and out. He didn’t want them there, just as much as they didn’t want to be there.

Remus’s smile fell as he realized what was happening- his room infecting Patton's mind and giving him his own, personalized intrusive thoughts. 

“Hey, Daddy?” he said, for once in his life hesitant. “Pat? PATTON!” 

Patton didn't hear him over his own fears coming to life. 

Remus ceased hesitating and ran towards Patton, football tackling him into the ground. They fell through, and landed on the common room floor. Patton took the brunt of the fall, the wind being knocked out of him and coughing up the last of the spiders as he gasped for air- the effects of Remus's room falling away.

Remus sat up, straddling Patton's hips, as he watched Patton's coloring grow less pale and started to get some of that happy-pappy pink back.

“You good, my goody two shoes?” 

Patton nodded, and sat up onto his elbows, furtively wiping the tears away with one hand. “Ye- Yeah Remus. I-” he hiccuped and sighed. “I’m fine.”

Virgil appeared, yanking remus off of Patton’s waist by the scruff of his neck. Remus went limp and looked up at Virgil with big round eyes. Virgil loomed over him and shook him like a rag doll.

“What the hell are you doing to him!”

“Nothing! he showed up in MY room, and he happened to get the full effect of it before I realized and tackled him out.”

“That’s true.” Patton said, getting on all fours. 

Virgil dropped Remus, and went to Pattons side. He wrapped one arm around Patton and took his hand, slowly helping the other side up off the floor. Patton gave Virgil a grateful smile, and squeezed his hand.

Remus, who had hit the floor with a disgusting splat sound and turned into a puddle of goo before bouncing back into his humanoid shape, was splayed out, frowning at the ceiling.

“Why is it that Big Poppa comes into my room, and I’m the one who gets in trouble?” he whined.

Virgil growled, whipping his head over to glare at remus on the floor.

“He had a daymare, you jackass! All because you let him into your room!”

“Now, Kiddo-” Patton tried to interrupt.

“HE KNOCKED! What was I supposed to do?” Remus yelled, jumping to his feet and getting in Virgil's face.  
  
“NOT INVITE HIM INSIDE, YOU DIPSHIT!” Virgil's voice warped, and he almost forgot he was keeping Patton upright.

“Those aren’t nice-”

“CALL ME A DIPSHIT AGAIN YOU REJECTED EYELINER PENCIL.” Remus’ eyes flashed green, and with a snap he had his mace in his hands and was holding it over his head, ready to slam it down on top of Virgil's head.

Janus appeared between them, an audible pop occurring. Swiftly, he picked both of the fighting sides up by their scruff with two of his hands and held them six feet apart from one another. Another two went around Patton supporting him and keeping him from falling.

“My, my, my, this brings back _wonderful_ memories.” Janus drawled. Remus gave a feral yell and threw his morningstar at virgil. Janus deftly caught it, putting it behind him- quickly making it disappear into hammerspace 

“Remus Creativity Sanders!” He snapped, making Remus cross his arms over his chest like a toddler that didn’t get his way.

“HE STARTED IT!”

“YOU MADE PATTON CRY”

“I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE HIM CRY. BAD SHIT JUST HAPPENS AROUND ME!”

“Boys!” Janus yelled, shaking them both back and forth.

The two sides quieted, both still seething and sending glares that could kill at one another.

Patton, still leaning against Janus, put on a brave face and smiled tightly at the two boys.

“Thanks Janus.” he said hoarsely. Gesturing for them to all sit on the couch, he slowly made his way over and sat with a grunt and a groan. Remus and Virgil were on two separate arm chairs, across the room from one another. Janus and Patton were leaning against one another on the couch, holding each other's hand.

“Now that we’re all comfortable.” Janus raised an eyebrow, daring either one of the other men to speak out of turn. “Patton, please explain what happened, and why I could hear these two yelling from my room downstairs.”

Patton looked down and fiddled with the seam of Janus’ gloves.“I, Well. I had a question I wanted to ask Remus, and his room’s function seemed to get at me quicker than I expected. I thought spiders were in my-” he shuddered and gestured to his chest and throat. “Trying to get out- you know? Remus realized what was going on and got me out of there before it got worse.”

He looked up and smiled at Remus, genuine and wide.

"And thanks for that Kiddo. I haven't gotten a chance to thank you yet, and with heroics like that it wouldn't be nice of me to forget to say thanks.”

Remus, unfolded a little bit and shrugged. He looked uncomfortable, the gesture small and controlled.

“As nice as your blood would look on my wall, I don't think anyone else would appreciate it if you scratched yourself apart in my room.”  
  
Virgil huffed and rolled his eyes, but kept his mouth shut, not adding the scathing comment he wanted to add.

Patton looked over to Virgil, his eyes and smile warm.

“Thank you for trying to protect me. I can’t imagine what I looked like, crying with Remus sitting on my lap. That was really sweet of you, kiddo. I appreciate it. But maybe protect me with a little less naughty language, okay?”

Virgil snorted a little laugh, smiled and nodded at Patton.

“Sure thing, Pop Star.”

Patton beamed at him, happy that both Remus and Virgil didn’t seem to be mad at him.

Janus cleared his throat and stood, straightening his capelet, and adjusting his hat.

“Since you still, desperately, need me. I’ll be on my way.”

He started to walk away, surprisingly sedate for the dramatic side, but Patton's hand caught the edge of his capelet, stopping his progress. Janus turned to look at Patton, his eyebrow raised in silent question.

“I didn’t say thanks to you, Jan. You didn’t have to show up and stop the fight. I appreciate that you were there when I needed you.”

The human side of Janus’ face turned red from the neck up, even as he tried to look nonchalant.

“You didn't need me at all, it took a lot of time out of my day to stop my fri- those sides from killing one another.”

Patton only nodded and gave Janus a knowing smile. He tugged gently, easing Janus back into the seat he just vacated. Patton himself stood, feeling much better now that he was out of Remus’ room.

“I was going to ask all of you, individually, but I think it might be better if I did it here, with all three of you at once.”

He tightened his cat hoodie around his shoulders, and adjusted his glasses. Taking those moments to breath made Virgil’s anxiety spike. What was so important that he needed to have them all together to make an announcement?

“I guess it's not so much a question as it is an invitation.” Patton smiled at them all and flung his arms out a little bit. “I just wanted all of you to know that you are all welcome to eat me at _any_ time.”

Remus’s mouth opened, and his own hand slapped over his mouth. He looked over at Janus with big, pouty eyes. Janus had one of his hands clenched in a fist, and was glaring daggers at Remus.

“Now, is absolutely the time for your dirty little thoughts to come out, Remus,” he demanded, peeved. His face and voice cleared, as he turned to Patton, but he kept his hand closed still, not allowing Remus to speak.

“Now Patton. What in the ever loving fuck do you mean?”

“He means like, eat him.” Virgil said, mimicking biting into a burger.

“Exactly, Kiddo! The light sides and Thomas have been doing it for a while. Since I represent feelings, when they feel down in the dumps, they take a bit of me to turn their frown upside down for a little bit. Then they can take the steps they need to make their good mood a bit more permanent.”Patton explained, chipper as a songbird.

“But none of you have ever taken the chance. I thought maybe it was because you thought you weren't welcome, and I just wanted to let each and every one of you know that is not the case. You are all members of the fam-ILY, and you are all welcome to take a bit out of me whenever you feel down.”

His tone grew more somber, and he fidgeted with the hem of the cat-hoodie.

“I know it would take a lot to trust me with those not-so-happy feelings. But, whenever you do- if you do- “ He placed his hands over his heart, and smiled sweetly at them. “You'll be safe with me.”

Janus’s fist loosened and he put his hand in his lap. Remus put his freed hand on the couch, and joined Virgil in staring at Patton dumbfounded.

Patton bounced on his toes, looking like he wanted to boop all their noses.

“If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my room, alright guys?.”

he didn't wait for a response, just turned and headed up the stairs to his room.

The three dark sides stared at each other for a moment, then looked away, quietly going back to their own rooms.


	2. Chapter 2

Patton padded downstairs, covered head to toe in soft, comfortable, clothes. It was a bit of a dreary day outside, and he had decided early on it was going to be a ‘netflix and chill’ kind of day, complete with Hot cocoa and a familiar tv show. He settled in on the couch, one foot tucked underneath him and the other swinging over the edge. He sipped his hot cocoa, and let out a content sigh as Kermit The Frog waved his hands over his head excitedly.

Remus came upstairs to the common area, looking a bit paler than usual. He wasn’t wearing his usual costume, he was in a dark green oversized sweatshirt, and tiny green booty shorts with furry neon green knee socks. Taking in his outfit, Patton sat up and paused the show, giving Remus his full attention.

“Hey Buddy,” Patton said softly, trying not to startle him. “How are you feeling? Cruddy?”

Remus huffed, and nodded. “Like a hot dump.”

Patton winced, but nodded. “It kinda looks like it. You're looking a little pale.”

Remus groaned, throwing his head back. “I hate it when that happens. I hate looking like the E-monster.” Sighing again, he caught Patton's eye and looked away. “That offer…. is it still good?”

Patton beamed and held out his hands. “Always Buddy.”

Remus went over to Patton and collapsed onto the floor at his feet. He put the dangling leg into his lap, and slowly peeled off Patton's sock.

“Oh. That’s new.” Patton whispered, but leaned back a little and started his show back up. He needed to let Remus work out how he wanted this to happen. That didn’t mean Patton wanted to stop observing it.

Remus lifted Patton's foot up by the heel, and just stroked it softly for a moment. Just running his hands up from the heel to the arch to the big toe with one hand, and running his fingers down the pinky toe, bridge and then to the heel with his other. Finally, after a few minutes of stroking, Remus leaned forward and sunk his teeth into Patton’s pinky toe, biting it clean off. The air was filled with breaking sounds, then crunching sounds as Remus chewed on the little bones of Patton's foot.

Patton couldn’t help but beam down at Remus. He reached down with his right hand and ran it over the top of Remus’ head, stroking it affectionately. The side at his feet quieted, letting the sound of the tv show drone on for a time. Patton almost took his hand back and apologized, but before he could do so, Remus pushed into Patton's hand and continued to chew. 

It took everything in Patton to keep his squeal internal, and not disrupt the skittish side. Patton just continued to stroke Remus’s hair, and focused on the show as the side crunched his way through his foot.

A whole episode of the show went by, and Remus was still there, sitting at Patton's feet. He had stopped eating Patton's right foot at the point where the foot became leg and had moved on to the other taking absent bites as he watched the show.They both were. 

They were so engrossed they didn’t notice Janus until he cleared his throat. Patton yelped, very obviously startled and blinked owlishly up at the other side. He smiled and waved, but frowned after taking in the state of Janus’ attire.

Janus was missing his ever present bowler hat for one. And his cloak, And his gloves for that matter. Janus was sporting yellow silk pajamas with black piping and an elegantly embroidered DJS on the pocket, but nothing more. His hands were curled against his sides, his hair was disheveled, and his mouth looked like he swallowed a lemon. He curled his bare toes on the carpet, then rocked back onto his heel, his jaw clenched. 

“Come on and sit, Jan-Jan.” Remus spoke quietly, like he was trying not to startle Janus. Patton smiled again, and patted the couch next to him. “Plenty of space to share.” 

Janus nodded stiffly and sat an entire couch cushion away from them both, his arms crossed over his chest and legs crossed over one another. “Have I missed Statler and Waldorf?” Janus said, his eyes completely focused on the TV.

“Nah. New episode’s coming on.” Remus crunched down on Patton's foot, and focused back on the TV. 

“Their jokes are a little mean, but I could sit to learn a thing or two from them about puns.” Patton said, winking in Janus’s direction.

Janus rolled his eyes, and started to bounce his free leg up and down.

Patton let it go, and watched Janus out of the corner of his eye.

Very slowly, Janus relaxed. His shoulders loosened first, coming down from around his ears. Next his legs uncrossed, followed by his arms, coming to rest on the floor and his lap respectively. 

And his eyes. Patton first thought Janus was watching the show, seeing as he chuckled in the right places once he relaxed. But no, Janus only had eyes for Patton's leg. 

He had regenerated the foot Remus had eaten first, so he had it rested on the floor, jiggling in excitement. Patton couldn’t help but notice that Janus had been watching it go up and down for the past few minutes.

Subtly (for him), he pulled his free leg up onto the couch, pulling it to his chest and wrapping his arm around it. Janus followed the movement of his leg the whole time, even when Patton pushed the leg off the couch and back onto the floor.

“Janus,” he said softly, reaching out for the other side. He made a grabbing motion with his hand and smiled.“Come over here and eat my leg.”

There was a great internal war that went on in Janus’s mind, he could see that. There was an argument for, and a counter argument against- and he could see it on janus’ face when the argument was won. 

“I haven't been thinking about this at all,” he finally said, getting up to walk the few steps over and sitting down cross legged on the floor. “I am perfectly fine, and not in any mental distress at all.” 

“It's okay, Janie.” Patton cooed. “We all need a little help sometimes.”

Janus wrinkled his nose, picked up Patton's leg and leaned in. He opened his mouth, closed his eyes, and took a bite. Janus gripped tightly with his teeth and shook his head back and forth a little to free the chunk, then tipped his head back to swallow the whole piece whole. 

Patton was speechless, and frankly mesmerised as Janus methodically tore and swallowed chunks of his flesh. Once he realized he was staring, he locked his gaze to the TV, and tried to focus on this moment of trust that Janus was showing him.Through the whole show, the rhythmic pull of Janus’s eating continued. 

As his leg grew smaller and smaller, Patton’s contentment grew. He didn’t think he could ever explain how he felt when the others were feasting on him. It was like… Gosh, he wasn't imagination, but that feeling you get when a gift you’ve given was just perfect. Or the feeling you get when a baby laughs for the first time. Or even that feeling you get when you’ve solved a difficult problem. 

Helping the people he loved, especially like this, felt like all those feelings combined, and multiply that by 1000.

Janus was done, and so was remus for that matter, and it was peaceful. Janus was laying with his back against the couch, and his head against Patton’s knee. Patton ran his fingers through Janus’ hair, running his nails over his scalp. He could see Janus's eyes flutter shut when he reached a particularly good spot. Patton’s leg was cut off mid calf, but he was slowly regenerating it, so Janus could wrap his arm around it as he rested. 

Remus was laying on the floor, zoned out with his eyes on the TV. He had Patton’s big toe in his mouth, detached, and was using it as a chew stim, rolling it around his mouth and biting or sucking it intermittently. Patton had been regenerating his foot, and really only needed to regen his big toe, but if he did that, it would disappear from Remus’ mouth, and he simply looked too cute to disrupt.

The stairs to their right creaked, slow heavy steps announcing the other side’s decent. Patton looked over to see who was coming down, as he didn't recognize the steps as any one of the sides.

He almost cursed, as Virgil slowly descended down the stairs. He looked horrible, wearing thick sweatpants, his original grey hoodie, and his comforter wrapped around him like a cloak. His friend was obviously not doing well, and it hurt to see.

Virgil made a slow descent, like he was forcing himself to come downstairs instead of running back up to his room with every step. When he finally made it down to the landing, he looked over at Patton. He wasn’t wearing any make-up, but the shadows under his eyes were deeper and darker than they were with the make up. A frown was firmly set in place, even as he opened and closed his mouth, trying to speak. 

Patton lifted out his open arms and gestured with his hands to ‘come here’.

“It’ll be okay, Kiddo.” He said softly. “This too shall pass.” 

Virgil nodded, and squeezed the comforter rhymically with his hands for a moment. He nodded to himself and went over to Patton, crawling into the dad sides lap without jostling the other two at his feet.

Patton wrapped his arms around Virgil, rubbing his back and gently swayed from side to side. He was so concerned about Virgil, he didn’t notice the two fangs sunk into the crook of his neck, injecting venom. He didn't notice it until he felt a suckling feeling comeing from Virgil. His face turned bright red, and he tried to dislodge Virgil without jostling the other two too much.

“Kiddo, you can’t-”

“He’s eating.” Remus interrupted. He had sat up, the toe in his fingers now, and was watching the proceedings with some interest. “Like a spider. He put some of his special juices into your body. They dissolve the muscle around it, turning it into a Patton smoothie, and now he’s sucking it back out. “

“Oh” Patton breathed. Remus nodded and put the toe back into his mouth.He wriggled around a bit, finally finding a comfortable spot with his head in Janus’s lap, and Pattons toe still in his mouth.

Patton didn’t even notice. He was too busy being joyful, and feeling Virgil being fed by him. Virgil trusted him to not be upset when he used some of his animal traits. The light sides didn't even know Virgil had animal traits until very recently, too afraid they would “freak out” as he had eloquently put it.

Patton found it hard to hold up his head, what with Virgil drinking those muscles, so he rested it against the back of the couch and closed his eyes.e had a beaming smile on his face, not being able to help it.

He was just so freaking happy right now. He was being helpful, he was taking care of the people he loved. He was being so _good_ right now, and it wasn’t costing him anything. He was relaxing with his famILY, becoming closer with them in a very special way. He was feeding them with his body, and helping their mind in the process.

Patton sighed happily again, glad he had gone to talk to Remus first after all.


End file.
